Tale of the Reincarnated Soul
by The-Dark-Whimsical-Witch
Summary: In a world filled with demons, Tyson had to learn to fight back. His life goes downhill when he stumbles upon a demon prince that seems so familiar to him. It can't be that, in a previous life as a sacred priestess who took care of the legendary Shikon Jewel, he knew this demon. He used to know Kai in another life . . . ?
1. Chapter 1: The Corrupted Flower

**Title: The Tale of the Reincarnated Soul**

 **Author: The-Dark-Whimsical-Witch**

 **Rating: T+**

 **Beta: Demons of the arch angel (Whims of Anime)**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, grammatical errors(?), death, a dash of angst, yaoi,**

 **Disclaimer: Witch does not own Beyblade. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners such as Aoki Takao. Witch only writes fanfiction.**

 **Inspirations: umm . . . Inuyasha**

 **Ship(s): Kai x Ryoko, onesided!Sirob x Ryoko (more to be added later)**

 **Witch: Welcome to my first fanfiction on Beyblade. Not very important information but I decided to give it anyways. The first chapter focuses on Kai and Ryoko's relationship as it is relevant to the plot for me to do so. I do hope you enjoy.**

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **1: The Corrupted Flower**

A young woman was alone in front of a decrepit temple. She was sitting on the statue of a phoenix, humming softly as she looked up at the blue sky. She was a beautiful girl with light tan skin, auburn eyes and long navy blue hair that made it past her rear that she wore in a simple ponytail. She was dressed in the robes of a priestess and, by her side, there was a bow and quiver of arrows. She had a sword in her hands while a light purple gem was around her neck.

She looked up at the sky, as if wondering something, "Kai, when are you coming?"

"Ryoko-sama," A voice called to the young woman, getting her attention. It was the voice of a young girl – probably aged ten – with black hair and green eyes. She too wore the garb of a priestess yet she possessed no weapons.

"What is it, dear Chinatsu?" Ryoko asked, getting up from her seat at the statue. The girl did not seem to be afraid or out of breath so the matter wasn't too urgent. Still, it was important if Chinatsu had come to this place when she feared the demon that dwelled in this temple.

Chinatsu looked around before turning to Ryoko, bowing to deliver her message, "Master requests your assistance to partake in an exorcism, Ryoko-sama. Lady Tama and Lord Yukio are there as well and wish for your company."

Ryoko frowned before nodding, "I will go. Go on ahead, Chinatsu, to relay my answer." Chinatsu smiled and ran back to the direction of their village. Ryoko, on the other hand, unsheathed her sword rapidly, the blade clashing with another.

"Missed me, my feisty dragon priestess?"

Ryoko smiled, "You took your time getting here, blasted demon lord."

The duo sheathed their swords. The demon was a handsome man with burning red eyes, three blue shark-like markings on his pale cheeks, dual-colored slate hair that jutted out in spikes. He was dressed in royal robes while his bright red wings and pointed ears reminded Ryoko that Kai was a demon lord.

Kai smirked, placing a hand delicately on Ryoko's cheek, "I'm sorry I'm late. I had to outrun some mad priest that tried to put me in a seal." Ryoko leaned closer to his hand, smiling softly, before sitting down on the ground.

"Pity the priest that does that. You're _my_ prey, Kai-sama."

"You're not very romantic, Ryoko." Kai muttered, sitting down next to her. He drew in his wings in order to sit closer to the girl. They were silent, enjoying each other's company before Kai turned to the priestess, "I heard you, your infuriating master, and the duo are going to do an exorcism in Symphounin. Be careful, alright?"

"My, you're being protective of me." Ryoko chuckled, looking at Kai with her eyes shining, "Or are you protective of the jewel?" She gestured at the gem that hung around her neck. Kai glanced down on it before looking at Ryoko in the eye.

"The Shikon jewel means nothing to me anymore. My quest for immortality, for unlimited power, is over. I have told you that before, Ryoko." He answered, brushing some of her navy locks behind her ear. She smiled, the admittance of that making her blush slightly, before standing. She grabbed her bow, ready for battle.

"Be careful, my priestess." Kai said.

Ryoko smiled at him, "I should be saying that to you. You are in human territory, after all. Even if it is a village that adores you." She left swiftly, no doubt not wanting to draw attention to their relationship. Their romantic relationship was forbidden so it made Kai wonder why the girl broke all the rules to be by his side. What a foolish girl.

"Stop lurking in the shadows, Ray," Kai finally said, standing up, once he was sure Ryoko was too far to overhear this conversation.

A person jumped out of the trees and landed behind him, kneeling immediately. The person was a demon as well, as his pointed ears could be seen. His eyes were yellow and distinctly cat-like while his raven-black hair made it up to his knees. It was currently up in a high ponytail and he was dressed in skin-tight black clothes that suited a ninja.

"When will you strike, Kai?" Ray asked, looking up with a frown, "You've been playing this ridiculous game of house with this priestess for a year now. When will you take the Shikon Jewel from that girl's possession?"

Kai looked up at the sky, eyebrows furrowed, "Don't rush me, Ray. If I take the jewel now-."

"She's already in love with you, isn't she? Have you not tamed the girl blessed by the gods?" Ray asked.

Kai was quiet and Ray gave out a sound of annoyance, standing at long last, "Don't tell me you've gotten soft, my lord. If you are, I'll have no choice but to take the jewel myself."

"I'll take the jewel by the end of the next month, Ray. Tell the men to get ready for the day that the girl blessed by the gods is taken down by the third son of the demon king of the south." Ray smirked, his fangs showing through, before disappearing into the foliage.

Kai stayed alone in the old temple that used to worship his ancestor, the great phoenix demon god Suzaku. People left this temple and stopped the worshipping of the great four gods of the world when the legendary priestess Hitomi began her reign.

The priestess Hitomi was praised more than the demon gods so the demons that served the four gods attacked her when she had her guard low. The battle between the demons and the priestess was said to have lasted two days and two nights and had ended up with the defenseless priestess in the jaws of the seemingly victorious demons.

This battle where light and darkness clashed, where good and evil clashed, caused the creation of the legendary gem known as the Shikon Jewel. The jewel, the manifestation of the souls of Hitomi and the one thousand demons she fought, was unlimited power and the person who wielded that power would be all-powerful.

The jewel passed to the Demon King of the East Sirob, descendant of the demon dragon god Seiryu. With the power of the jewl, Sirob reigned the lands with no opposition so he ruled for two hundred years with the jewel.

His reign with the jewel came to an end the moment Ryoko began her training as a priestess.

Ryoko was an orphan found alone in the woods and taken in by the monastery. At the age of six, she decided to become a priestess to aid the people and her training began at the age of seven. She was twelve when she decided that she'd take the Shikon Jewel from Sirob.

Leaving without telling anyone, Ryoko travelled to the east, fighting demons along the way. When Sirob learned of her, he sent over six hundred million demons to destroy her.

Day and night, day after day, Ryoko fought the demon hordes Sirob had sent. She was tired after the battles yet she continued on with her strong will. By the time she reached Sirob's palace, she was already thirteen and had killed about eight hundred million demons in her year long journey.

Ryoko was welcomed into the palace with open arms. Sirob had grown fond of the "blood-stained priestess" and allowed her to finally rest. After a week of recovery, the powerful Demon King of the East made a deal with the naive priestess. If she could wound him in the next three days, he would passively give her the jewel. If she couldn't wound him, she would become his bride.

Ryoko accepted the challenge with a grin.

The two began their battle with Sirob wielding his scythe and Ryoko fighting with her bow and a quiver that only had twenty arrows. Their battle seemed to go on and on. They did not eat or sleep for the two days and night that they fought. Despite being a human, Ryoko's endurance was something to be praised.

On the dawn of the third day, the final day, Ryoko fell to her knees. Her wounds were great, her arrows were gone and her bow broken in two. Sirob becoming the winner was evident. In the battlefield covered with blood, sweat and tears, Ryoko was blessed by the gods.

Lightning struck the battlefield close to where Ryoko laid and a sword appeared. It was a sword that had dragon scales on the left side of the blade and it glowed with an unearthly feel. Ryoko took the sword and fought with renewed vigor. Finally, she managed to make Sirob bleed by cutting off three of his fingers.

Sirob kept to his promise and handed Ryoko the jewel. Still, he asked her for her hand in marriage. Ryoko had merely smiled cruelly before saying, "I will never fall in love with a demon."

The reign of Priestess Ryoko began and it was a reign filled with pain and blood. Ryoko fought days and nights against demons that coveted the jewel. She slayed so many of them that she could be found easily for her bloodstained scent. Her reputation grew until it finally reached Kai's kingdom.

Kai was a phoenix prince of the south, the third in line for the throne. He was practically useless to his father and had no clear way of obtaining the throne. However, upon hearing about the jewel that had once made Sirob the King of Demons was in the hands of a mortal girl, he decided to take the jewel for his own.

He made a plan in order to gain Ryoko's trust. He sent out thousands of his demons to attack the weary priestess and, when she was about to fall, he swooped in and rescued her. While she had been wary at first, she had grown to trust him over the months they spent together.

That trust she had for him grew to become something else.

"I love you." She had said to him only six days ago, blushing so brightly that Kai wanted to tease her. Instead of doing so, he had merely smiled and said he had loved her back.

But he wasn't really in love with Ryoko.

Ryoko was just a tool for him to gain power. He had no feelings for that pathetic and weak mortal girl. She had fallen for him, exactly as he had planned, while he had no feelings for her.

Right?

Kai shook his head, "I do not love Ryoko. By the end of next month, she will be dead and the jewel will be mine." Although, thinking about a dead Ryoko just made him feel sick and disgusted.

He hadn't fallen for Ryoko, right?"

 _ **There is always sleep between part and meet**_

 _ **with our usual words on the usual street.**_

Days seemed to be passing quickly, as if taunting Kai to make his move and kill Ryoko. No matter how many times she was vulnerable these past five days, Kai never took advantage of it. He never raised his sword against her unless they were sparring and he felt horrible whenever he saw her bleed.

"What are you doing?" Ryoko laughed while Kai stared at the bandages on her hands. He frowned and Ryoko blushed, "Kai, mind telling me why you're so upset?"

"Who hurt you?" He asked.

Ryoko blinked and looked at her hands, as if for the first time, before beginning to laugh, "No one. I was just making something and it was my first time making it and-."

"Making what?"

"A present for someone, of course." Ryoko answered, tapping her bow on his forehead. Kai didn't feel jealousy upon hearing that his Ryoko - _when had he started considering her his?_ \- was making something for someone other than him. He supposed he was just selfish and wanted her to only love him.

"Who?" He muttered and Ryoko smiled before tapping his head with one, thin finger. He blinked, "You made something . . . for me?"

When Ryoko nodded, Kai wondered if he had imagined his heart skipping a beat. Ryoko turned to grab her bow and nocked an arrow before getting into positon to shoot her arrow. Kai watched her shoot and hit an apple hanging from a tree. As the apple fell, she caught it and took a bite, "Want some?"

"You have the appetite of a bull." Kai told her, patting her head. She grinned up at him before offering him the apple once more. He had told her before that he had no interest in human food but Ryoko ignored him and still offered him food. Kai learned that it was her way of saying that he was someone special.

Kai sighed and bit into the red apple, "Wow. It's so delicious."

"Stop being so sarcastic, Kai." Ryoko replied before continuing eating said apple, "You have to say it like you mean it. I swear, the reason you're so thin is because you don't eat." She stopped before making a face, "Don't tell me you're one of those demons that derive nutrition from human flesh."

"Don't be so crass, Ryoko." Kai said, flicking her on the nose. She grunted and gave him a look that was meant to be stern but she just looked cute rather than commanding. Kai smiled at her, "I just don't like this type of food."

"Then what do you like?" Ryoko asked.

Kai thought about it before shrugging, "I don't know. Maybe fish?"

"Fish?" Ryoko repeated before humming, "Interesting taste. I don't like fish much so I don't understand why you like it." She was about to continue when they both heard Chinatsu screaming for her again. Ryoko sighed before waving goodbye to him, in order to hide their hidden relationship.

The next day, Ryoko came with fish she had caught in the river. Kai didn't tell her how much that meant to him.

 _ **So let us part like we always do . . .**_

 _ **And in a world without you**_

 _ **I'll dream of you.**_

"Here, Kai," Ryoko said, presenting Kai a shiny blade a week later. He blinked, staring at it in wonder, before looking up at her. Ryoko blushed, "It was what I was working on for you. I called it Fireshadow, you know? I really hope you like it because I burned my hands a lot of times-."

Kai took her into his arms, burying his face onto her small shoulder. Ryoko returned the embrace and they stayed like that for a while, Ryoko blushing furiously as Kai did nothing but hold her in his arms.

"Why?"

"Hm?" Ryoko blinked before they seperated from the hug, "Why what?"

"Why would you do something like this for me?"

Kai was a trecherous demon prince who enjoyed burning villages to the ground. He had destroyed countless of cities and had killed more than one million humans. He was a monster who had no remorse. He never felt guilty over anything.

Ryoko was a kind-hearted priestess who enjoyed helping villages that were plagued by demons. She had saved countless of cities and had protected more than one million humans. She was an angel who had compassion. She felt guilty over anything.

A demon and a human. Dark and light. Evil and good. They were from two different worlds and they were two different species. They were different sides of the same coin. They were forever close yet forever apart. They could never truly be together.

Ryoko would forget this foolish dalliance and continue hunting demons the way she always had. He would retreat back to his palace and attempt to forget her with the harem of demon women that he had. Their love - _for that is what they shared_ \- could never be real.

"Because I love you."

Ryoko's words just made him kiss her.

Ryoko shed a single tear as they did so and perhaps everything that had crossed his mind had crossed her own. They were destined to be apart and Kai hated being a demon.

Something told him Ryoko hated being a priestess at that moment as well.

If only . . .

 _ **When I come to, let us meet**_

 _ **with our usual words on the usual street.**_

"Maybe I should stop." Ryoko one day told him as they were sitting by the river, nine days after she had gifted him Fireshadow. Kai turned to her, hoping she would elaborate. She looked at him before picking up a stone and throwing it into the river. As ripples formed, she continued, "Being a priestess."

"You want to stop?" Kai asked in shock, placing a hand gently over her own, "Why?"

Ryoko looked at him with sorrowful eyes before squeezing his hand, "I don't want to continue this way for my whole life, Kai. Being a priestess limits what I can do. I cannot love properly and I cannot be human. To be a priestess means to discard your humanity but not enough to be a demon."

"Do you want to stop being a priestess for my sake?"

Ryoko leaned on his chest, a forlorn look in her eyes, "Yes. The reason why you and I cannot be together is because you are a demon and I am a priestess. You cannot change what you are, Kai, and I would not want you to change for my sake. I am a human and that won't change but what I can change is my occupation. I can stop being a priestess and become a normal mortal."

"But people need you." Kai said, not believing he had said that.

"I know." She answered and she looked so torn that Kai felt his heart twist, "I just want to be selfish for once. It hurts being selfish, Kai. I don't want to stop being a priestess because I've been one almost my whole life. I don't know what else to do to help."

"Then don't stop."

She shed tears and Kai immediately wiped them away. He hated to see Ryoko cry and be vulnerable. That wasn't the girl he knew and loved. He pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead, "You love helping people. Don't stop just for my sake. If you did, I'd hit you."

"Sorry." She said, in between sobs.

"Then stop crying," Kai replied, hitting her lightly on her forehead. She merely smiled up at him, silently thanking him for his words. He had probably lifted a huge burden off her shoulders and he felt good about it.

"Thank you, Kai." She said before yawning, "You make a nice pillow."

"Don't sleep, Ryoko, or I'm throwing you into the river."

"Too late~." She replied in a singsong voice and giggling as she drifted to sleep. She was so cute, Kai thought with a light smile as he ran a hand through her navy blue hair. He spotted the jewel around her neck yet paid it no mind, finding that Ryoko was more precious than the thing that had lured him to her.

He had no interest in the jewel anymore.

 _ **Beyond the path without you**_

 _ **is a forgotten promise to keep.**_

"You love her, don't you?"

Kai looked up from his work to see Ray was standing over him. Kai was, once again, in the old wrecked temple of his ancestor. Ryoko was hunting down a demon in the mountains so she wouldn't be back for two days at the most. That's why he was here, working on her present.

"If I say I do, will you overthrow me?" Kai replied before fixing the sash of the kimono he was making for Ryoko. All she wore were those tacky priestess robes and it annoyed him that she looked so dull in them.

Ray sat down in front of him, "Caring is not an advantage. That's something you've always preached to us. Is she really something to be able to make you change your philosophy?"

"Ryoko is Ryoko." Kai answered, "She is everything to me and I couldn't help caring for her when she easily began to care for me. I am weak and I am aware of it." He returned to his task, almost done now.

Ray snickered, "Who said that any of us minded?"

Kai looked into the cat-like eyes of the nekojin and Ray smirked, "We owe you our lives, Kai. If you've fallen for a mortal girl, then what can we do except be glad? At least you've started smiling and treating us better. This Ryoko's been a good influence."

"She has, hasn't she?" Kai thought to himself. He looked to the skies with a gentle smile Ray had never seen him wear, "Ryoko has done something I never thought would be possible."

"And what is that?" Ray asked, staring at the fond smile.

"She has made me feel human."

 _ **We may have walked side by side,**_

 _ **but now we go on back to back.**_

A week until the end of the month. Before, that had been the countdown of the day Kai would kill Ryoko and take the jewel. Now, it was the countdown to the greeting of autumn and the village was making a festival to celebrate. Ryoko had invited him and his demons to join them if they wanted.

"I really like autumn." She said with a laugh when she had told him the news over the festival. She was walking around a grove of trees, looking up as if expecting to see the leaves to fall. She looked behind to see his face and laughed, doing a small turn.

"Weren't you born during autumn, Ryoko?" Kai asked as he patiently walked after her. He had already grown used to her hyperactive antics and he found them rather endearing. At the same time, Ryoko found that his quiet and introverted side was his best feature.

Ryoko nodded before sighing, "You never told me the day of your name day, Kai."

"A demon doesn't find their name day important. Besides, why would I remember one day? I've lived through millions, Ryoko. You know that I am an ancient being at this point, centuries older than you."

Ryoko shrugged, "I don't mind being with a relic, Kai. I just want to know when the relic celebrated its birth."

"Why is it so important?"

Ryoko rolled her eyes, "You demons are so ancient yet not very wise." At his glare, the navy-haired priestess continued, "I want to throw you a celebration when it's your name day. It'd be us, Ray and the other demons you employ. We could give you gifts and-."

Kai flicked Ryoko's forehead. The girl pouted, staring at him with an accusing look, before Kai ran a hand through her hair, "The day the stars fall. That is my name day."

"The Festival of Stars?! That's your name day?!" Ryoko sounded so excited as she began making plans over how to celebrate Kai's name day as it fell on the day where stars seemed to rain down from the skies. It was the day Ryoko loved and Kai felt a little smug knowing that it would become a more important day for his optimistic priestess.

"Make sure to watch the stars with me that day." Kai whispered to her.

"I will!"

The smile that Ryoko gave to him would forever be in his heart.

 _ **And though our paths may not cross,**_

 _ **all paths are connected somewhere.**_

Two days before the festival of autumn, Kai had finished the kimono he had been tirelessly making for Ryoko. Ray approved of the design before sending Kai on his way to the spot where Ryoko awaited him.

As he approached said spot, he could hear wailing and screaming. He paused, not recognizing those screams for a moment. Finally, the name Chinatsu - that young priestess that followed Ryoko like a leech - appeared in his head and he flew faster to where the child screamed.

When he made it to the meadow where Ryoko was supposed to meet with him, everything seemed to stop.

Chinatsu, along with several villagers, were crying over someone. The carcasses of demons littered the ground. Ryoko's master and fellow colleagues - Tama and Yukio - looked sorrowful. He would have dismissed this had it not been that Tama was crying, holding _Ryoko's_ sword.

 _No._

He dropped down next to the villagers, eyes fearful of what he'd find. His worst fear came true as he saw his Ryoko - his vibrant Ryoko that seemed full of life - on the ground, lifeless. There was blood staining several parts of her priestess garb and she looked melancholic, as if she had not been ready to die.

"Go away!" Chinatsu screeched, tears spilling out of her eyes, "You blasted demon, why did you kill Lady Ryoko?!" She didn't continue, grasping Ryoko's limp bloodied hand as she sobbed violently.

 _What?_

"How could you?!" Tama shouted, half in hysterics. She looked nothing like the narcissistic, cold girl Ryoko used to complain about, "You cruel beast, you killed Ryoko! You killed her!"

 _Killed her? I didn't. Why are they-?_

"Ryoko said it herself as she died." Yukio hissed, looking at the blade Tama held. Ryoko's sword was covered in blood, no doubt from the demons she had slayed. He grabbed it and planted in the ground, the rage in his eyes evident, "She died feeling betrayed because she thought she could trust a demon like you."

"I did not kill Ryoko!" Kai yelled back, looking at his beloved one's lifeless body.

 _I wanted to kill her before. Before, I held no feelings for her. She was just a human. She was nothing. Now, I wouldn't even harm her. Seeing her cry was like being stabbed in the chest for every tear that she shed. Killing her was something I could never do. I didn't kill her!_

"Begone, vile demon!" Ryoko's master yelled. The glare he shot at Kai would have been more effective if it hadn't been that he was shedding tears for the girl he had raised and had seen as his own daughter, "Leave now before I seal you away."

Kai knew it wasn't an empty threat. He glanced at Ryoko's corpse and let a single tear fall. Before anyone could comment on that or curse him, he took to the skies once more.

 _ **When I arrive at where you are,**_

 _ **we may not appear to be as we were . . .**_

Kai wasn't allowed to attend Ryoko's funeral. Of course he couldn't. Not only was he a demon, they also thought that he was the one that had killed the young priestess. As such, he watched from the distance as the funeral was being conducted.

"You don't have to look." Ray told him. His men had accompanied him to view the funeral, all of them sending him somber looks that conveyed their pity over the death of his love. Kai looked at Ray before shaking his head.

He watched the villagers take Ryoko's body - they washed off the blood from her corpse and had dressed her in all white - and place her in stone tablet. The stone tablet was surrounded by white flowers that represented his Ryoko's innocence. People like Chinatsu were weeping openly in front of the stone tablet. Yukio and Tama were both kneeling in front of Ryoko's tablet, praying so her soul could reach heaven. Ryoko's master was talking about the good qualities of the deceased priestess before grabbing a torch.

"Kai, the jewel!" Ray hissed, eyes wide. When Kai turned to him, Ray pointed at Ryoko's body, "She's still wearing the jewel, Kai. Are they going to-."

Ray didn't finish as the torch fell on Ryoko's body, burning the girl's body. The jewel glowed a bright pink before the glow stopped. What did that glow mean? And why had they burned the jewel with Ryoko's corpse?

Why?

 _ **But we'll make another promise to keep.**_

"Kai, what are you doing here?"

Kai looked up to see Ray was looking down on him. The two were currently in front of a statue where Ryoko's ashes had been placed after her death. The statue was of the young priestess herself, the statue placed there shortly after the burial.

Five thousand years had passed since the death of his love at the hands of demons. He still hadn't gotten over her death and perhaps he never would. That's why Ray knew where to find him at this time. It was the anniversary of her death.

"You know what I'm doing here." Kai answered, placing a bouquet of white roses on her grave. He dusted the plaque that told people that visited here who Ryoko the Priestess was. He smiled at it.

"I have something to tell you. It's news from Sirob."

Kai frowned, "What about him?"

Ray kneeled down next to him, eyes serious, "He told me something about the jewel, something no one else had known. It was that, besides being a power source, it can also grant the wishes of its user."

"A wishmaker? Why is that relevant to us now? The jewel was burned with Ryoko's corpse centuries ago." Kai answered and Ray continued staring at him with a serious look. Kai looked at his longtime friend with an analytical look, his heart slowing down in anticipation, "Why are you telling me this?"

"The jewel has been manifested once more, Kai."

Kai's eyes widened, "Impossible. It was burned with Ryoko's corpse. Unless-."

"Do you believe in reincarnation?"

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **TDWW: Thanks for reading. If you like this story, review, favorite or follow. I really appreciate feedback. See you in the next update whenever it comes!**

 ****Notes****

 ***Kai reminds me a lot of Sesshomaru so I modeled his demon form around him. Granted, he was supposed to be taking the role of Inuyasha but Kai had better plans**

 ***Ryoko is like Kikyo but I hope she was more likable since she has a lot of Tyson-like traits. After all, Tyson is her reincarnation.**

 ***Anyone knows how to do the line breaks? I'm really bad at them.**

 ***The lands of the demon gods - Suzaku, Seiryu, Genbu and Byakko - and the direction they are in is based on their own position in the night sky.**

 ***Thank you to Whims of Anime (Demons of the arch angel) for beta-reading this.**


	2. Chapter 2: That Everlasting Dream

**Title: The Tale of the Reincarnated Soul**

 **Author: The-Dark-Whimsical-Witch**

 **Rating: T+**

 **Beta: Demons of the arch angel (Whims of Anime)**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, grammatical errors(?), death, a dash of angst, yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Witch does not own Beyblade. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners such as Aoki Takao. Witch only writes fanfiction.**

 **Inspirations: Inuyasha**

 **Ship(s): Kai x Ryoko, onesided!Sirob x Ryoko, Kai x Tyson**

 **Thanks to: those who favorited, followed and reviewed. Thank you very much.**

 **Witch: We finally get to see Tyson here. Hurray for that! Hilary, Max, Kai and Ray will come out too but I won't spoil too much over what will happen. Enjoy!**

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **2: That Everlasting Dream**

Tyson Granger was an ordinary boy born into a world of spiritual powers and demons. Being ordinary was more of a curse than anything else in this world. Being ordinary would get you killed.

That's why people tried so hard to not be ordinary. In South, the land that Tyson had been born and raised in, when people reach the age of fifteen, they are given three paths that they could choose from to help determine their path in life.

The first path is the life of an ordinary human. Many jobs were open in this path and so it was the most popular. You could be a merchant, performer, educator, scholar, minister or even the leader of a city. These people were the ones that wanted to be away from the demons that plagued them at times. However, ordinary could get you killed so choosing this path was risky too.

The second path is the life of spirituality. This path was more exclusive as people needed to have some spiritual power to be able to join. Jobs here included the path of a shaman, priestess, priest, onmyouji, exorcist, daoshi, necromancer, mage, itako, monk, sorcerer, yuta or rune magicians.

The third path is the life of a warrior. This path was the second most popular path and the one that was the most dangerous. Jobs here included the path of an archer, soldier, assassin, infantryman, samurai, lancer, swordsman/woman, ninja and demon slayer. This was the path that Tyson wanted to take.

Tyson came from a line of warriors. His father had been a lancer and his grandfather a samurai. His mother had been an archer and his older brother was a demon slayer. As a young man reaching the age of fifteen soon, Tyson was already looking at the paths of warriors.

Currently, he was standing in front of the Slayer Hall, where his brother worked. He was so nervous just looking at the building that he wished to be. He bounced on the soles of his feet, feeling nervous. He wanted to get into this place, no matter the cost.

"Tyson, is that you?"

Tyson looked up to see it was his best friend Max Tate, also known as a genius in their small city in South. Max was a young man of fourteen - turning fifteen soon just like Tyson - with blonde hair and blue eyes and was dressed in the robes of an on onmyouji. He was the only one of their age group that had already been chosen for a path since he had been eight years old.

After an incident in Max's childhood, his spiritual ability had been measured and it had reached the level of masters that was too big for a child. They were already hailing Max as a great spiritual onmyouji to rival Lady Hitomi of the Light and Lady Ryoko of Peace and Chaos. People were actually impressed that a genius like Max was hanging around Tyson.

Tyson was a slow learner. He wasn't the best in school - he wasn't the worst, though - and he knew that working as an ordinary human wouldn't suit him, even if people wanted him to live like an ordinary human. He didn't have an ounce of spiritual powers so the path of spirituality that Max excelled at was not his own. That just left the path of a warrior and a lot of people scoffed at that path.

"Yeah. Who else, dude?" Tyson laughed as Max stopped walking to look at him. Max was holding a couple of sutras and, on one hand, his 108 beaded rosary. It seemed he had just come out from his duties in the temple where all those that took the spiritual route dwelled.

"Are you thinking about becoming a demon slayer?" Max asked as he placed his sutras and rosary inside his robes. Tyson nodded and the two began to walk away from the building Tyson had been staring longingly at, "I know you wanted to become a warrior but I didn't know you were going to be a demon slayer. That's so cool!"

Tyson chuckled at the joy in his best friend's eyes, "Thanks, Maxie." His friend was one of the most supportive person in his life. His family, despite being warriors, wished him to settle down into a normal life and have a normal job. If they found out that he wanted to be a demon slayer like his older brother Hiro, he was screwed.

Max nudged him, "Go for it, Ty. You're a natural at fighting thanks to your family's genes. Besides, demon slayers tend to work together with onmyoujis so we could be together often when we slay demons." Tyson frowned and Max did the same, worried that his happy-go-lucky friend was so down all of a sudden, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I can't seem to stop dreaming about things that always makes me cry or feel frightened." Tyson replied with a faraway look. At Max's questioning frown, Tyson continued, "I've been having continous dreams lately. As if I'm watching the memory of a past me, you know?"

"That's a bit rare but not uncommon," Max replied. He had experience with the concept of reincarnation and had met people that had vague memories of their past selves. They'd recall things like a certain book or a certain recipe from their past life but not much of anything else like their names, families or professions.

Tyson sighed in relief, glad to not have something weird going on with him, "Well, I'm in a battlefield somewhere in the East and I don't know how I know that. You know I haven't left the South since I was born. There's arrows everywhere and, in front of me, there's a sword. It had dragon scales on the left side of the blade and it glowed with an unearthly feel. When I touched it, I felt so powerful and then I woke up with tears. That dream happened two weeks ago."

Max stirred over what Tyson had told him. The sword sounded like a demon blade but a demon couldn't reincarnate into a human. At least, that had never happened before and Max was certain his best friend was not a demon in his past life. That being said, the sword, though, sounded so familiar. He'd have to consult the scrolls after this. He vaguely remembered studying over a demon blade when he was younger.

"The next dream was that I was surrounded demons." Tyson continued as they paused in front of the city square. The statue of Ryoko the Priestess was in the middle of the square and, underneath it, was a fountain. Max and Tyson walked to it and sat down in the shadow of Ryoko.

"That is what you want to do, though, right?" Max asked, placing a gentle hand on his best friend's shoulder.

"But it's not me, Maxie. Well, it's me but not me," Tyson sighed, running a hand through his long hair, probably knowing how weird his statement had sounded, "I'm killing them with bow and arrows. Not only that, they're spiritual arrows. I don't have a shred of spiritual powers in me, something my teachers like to fling at me constantly!"

"Apparently the old you did." Max muttered before putting a hand inside the water fountain. He couldn't believe that Tyson was able to remember so much stuff from his past reincarnation with so much vividness. It was also surprising that the old Tyson had spiritual powers and Tyson didn't.

When it came to abilities, current incarnations had the same as their previous lives. A person that was a talented swordsman in one life could be a baker in the next but would still be able to wield a sword as if they had trained their previous lives. It was the same thing when it came to spiritual powers as reincarnations of priestesses had already been found. So this was a case that puzzled Max. Why didn't Tyson possess the spiritual abilities of his past self?

"Then, another dream, I'm in the arms of someone." Tyson said before a soft smile appeared on his face. Max said nothing, shocked at the look Tyson had in his face. This face was one he saw in couples that were going to get married. It was an expression filled with love. Tyson sighed wistfully, "We're looking at the sunset. He's running a hand through my hair softly and gently, as if I was something precious he didn't want to hurt and my heart felt so much love and warmth that I knew he was my precious person. I'm about to look at him, because I know it was a him, but then the dream changes to me dying."

He trembled slightly, the smile long gone. It was replaced by wide eyes and a face devoid of any emotion except terror, "You don't know how scary it is to feel the warmth in your body leave and feel your blood coating almost all of your body. I could feel parts of my chest were gone, most likely bitten off by a demon, and I was losing so much blood. And that person . . . I'm angry at that person but I wasn't really angry. I was just . . ." A tear rolled down one of Tyson's eyes and the navy-haired boy immediately wiped it away as he tried to forget the heavy feeling in his heart, "heartbroken."

Feelings of the past life didn't tend to transfer to the next life. This meant that the seal that was meant to hide the memories of Tyson's past life was not properly placed the way it was for other people when they rode the wheel of reincarnation. This was a problem and a serious one. Past incarnations could have lived through things that the current life would not be able to handle and that led to insanity.

"Why haven't you addressed the head priest over this, Ty?" Max asked as tears kept streaming down his friend's eyes. He was desperately trying to get rid of the tears that fell out of his eyes without a stop. It took Tyson a while to compose himself, although he kept sniffing.

"Because I didn't think much about it until last night." Tyson answered, his voice slightly hoarse. That caught Max's attention and his friend continued, "I was in the East again but this time I was sure it was me, not the past me. I was inside a lavish palace but I knew it belonged to a demon that was dangerous. As I walked, I could feel something inside my chest and it hurt, Max. I entered a room and found a statue of Ryoko and a demon was waiting for me."

"It was a dragon-like demon, most likely the descendant of one of those demon gods or whatever, with purple hair and black eyes. The area around his eyes had green scales and he just reminded me so much of a snake, especially his scalene eyes." Tyson shivered as Max continued to listen, trying to recall a demon that looked like that.

"It grabbed my wrist, Max, and it told me to hand over the shikon jewel. 'You can't run away forever, bloodstained sinful one,' it told me as it tried to drag me towards the statue of Ryoko and then there was a pink glow before I woke up."

Max hummed to show he was mulling over the dream. The only demon palace that was known to be in East was the palace of the former Demon King Sirob and the demon Tyson had described did sound like Demon Lord Sirob. The Shikon Jewel was the jewel that Ryoko had taken from him centuries ago but it was burned with the girl's body when she was killed by the third demon prince of the South. He sighed, meeting a dead end, "It was just a dream, though, right?"

Tyson rolled up his jacket and Max's eyes widened when he saw a bruise forming in Tyson's wrist that clearly looked like a hand. This couldn't be possible unless Tyson had astral projected or the demon was a form of dream demon. How was this happening?

"Bloodstained sinful one," Tyson whispered, looking up at the bright blue sky that was dotted by white clouds, "It sounds so familiar, as if a lot of people used to call me that, once upon a time."

Tyson's past life and his current life were intertwining. Whether that was a good thing or not was yet to be determined even though Max only saw negative things. So far, the clues that the dreams - the memories - had given Max was pointing to the possibility that Tyson's past life was none other than the girl who was hailed a legend.

Ryoko and Tyson. Could his friend have been the legendary priestess they had learned about when they were children, the girl children aspired to be as great as? While it was possible, the fact that Tyson didn't have spiritual powers seemed to negate that possibility. However, that was just one thing against the theory that Tyson was Ryoko's reincarnation against many pieces of evidence. Max needed to continue investigating before concluding anything, though.

"Hey, don't look so down, Maxie," Tyson suddenly grinned at him, rolling his sleeves down to hide the handprint that must have been caused by Sirob, "We can mope all we want but that won't do much. Let's go have fun, okay? The day just started, after all! We need to have some fun before you go back to your duties."

Max nodded and the two stood. As they walked away, Max turned to have one last look at the statue of Lady Ryoko as if she would confirm his thoughts. When she didn't, Max turned and kept walking, following after the smiling Tyson.

 _ **Tears hide in my heart**_

 _ **Memories are getting erased**_

 _ **Our unfinished fate stopped here even if we live in longing tears**_

Kai was resting on the branch of a tree that overlooked the city of Tamayuki - named after the duo that had trained with Ryoko and had become legends in their own rights - when he smelled a very familiar stench. His heart skipped a beat as he looked at the humans walking through the busy roads with his heightened vision.

He could smell demon's blood with a hint of cherry blossoms and another smell he associated with autumn. It was the smell he had longed to smell ever since the death of his beloved human. This was Ryoko's scent and he wondered why he hadn't smelled this before. Perhaps it was because he had been avoiding this village - Ryoko's village that she valiently protected even if she was hurt - for centuries and had only returned after hearing the information Sirob had given to Ray.

Ryoko was back, after all, just like he had said. Kai was filled with joy over that and looked around once more in an attempt to find the source of the stench. He needed to see her again, to hold her in his arms and apologize for the things he never said or did. She wouldn't remember the past but Kai still felt the need to apologize for how he had foolishly acted in her previous life. He frowned, pulled from his thoughts, when he smelled other things mixing with his Ryoko's stench.

The smell of oak mixed with the scent of autumn he associated with Ryoko. He could distinctly smell apples mixing with the cherry blossoms and the smell of demon's blood seemed to be fading, as if she hadn't killed a demon in years. He sighed, silently beating himself over being so excited to smell Ryoko again.

If she was reincarnated like Sirob had implied, obviously she wouldn't smell the same. Perhaps she wasn't even a priestess or had never faced a demon before. Maybe she was living as an ordinary human now, like she had wanted. The thought made Kai smile.

A selfish part of him was really glad over the chance that this reincarnation of his love wasn't a priestess even if a small part was upset since being a priestess had been such an important thing to Ryoko.

Nothing could keep them apart this time around if she was a regular human, though. They could get married - a human sentiment she would love - and Kai wouldn't care over what his father or elder brothers thought over him taking a human wife because he had waited too long for his love to come back to him. It would be them, Ray and his loyal demon army that had stayed by his side for centuries and thought nothing over him falling in love with a human.

In this life, he was not going to lose his Ryoko.

"I'll find you, Ryoko," Kai whispered to the wind, "Just wait for me."

 _ **It's like the scattering wind**_

 _ **So I try to find it but it's like an undiscoverable path**_

 _ **I can't hold on to the distancing fate so my heart is letting you go**_

Tyson had dragged Max to the archery range where Max spotted Tyson's mother - Yoshie Granger - teaching a class. A beautiful and regal woman, she had navy hair like Tyson's and dark brown eyes that didn't match Tyson's much in hue but they did in their emotion. She was dressed in black armor with some red symbols that labeled her a master archer. She barked an order and arrows went flying, all of them hitting dummies that represented an army. She turned after surveying the damage the arrows had done, "Tachibana!"

"Yes!" A girl with brown hair and brown eyes said, stepping forward. She was around Max and Tyson's age and the armor she wore signified she was a student rather than an apprentice. The difference between the two is that a student could learn archery but not pursue it while an apprentice wanted to become an archer.

Yoshie smiled at her, "Excellent shot. You shot the general straight in the heart." She pointed at a dummy that was red, showing how different it was from the others. The only arrow that had landed on it was the student's, "Are you positive you don't want to be an archer?"

"Well, I'm still thinking about it, Granger-san." The girl said with a slight bow in the master archer's direction. She caught Tyson's eye and smiled, waving slightly at him and Max. Yoshie caught her movement and turned around before she too greeted her son warmly with a smile.

Yoshie Granger - or just Yoshie from North as her clan name was unknown - was from the North, a land known for endless war and chaos. She had made a name for herself as an archer since she was twelve years old and had moved to South as a mercenary where she had met Bruce Granger.

Bruce Granger was a lancer and one of the best warriors of Tamayuki. With his ability, he had romanced the archer and now they had two sons - Hiro that was now a demon slayer and Tyson who wanted to be a demon slayer - and a ten year old daughter.

"Hello, Tyson, Max," Yoshie greeted. She gave a curt nod and the archers went inside the pavilion to change, clearly dismissed for the day. Tachibana followed after Yoshie, as she had been a childhood friend of the two boys and hadn't seen them in while since she was studying most of the paths.

"Hi Mom." Tyson said and Yoshie took him into his arms. She did the same moments later to Max. Yoshie Granger, despite having a terrifying reputation, was a caring mother and woman and was thus loved by most of the kids in the city. It was a shock to some people that a woman that could lead an army and win gave such warm hugs even if she was wearing her armor.

"What brings you two around?" She asked as Tachibana - or Hilary Tachibana - hugged the two boys like she had.

"I wanted to see you, Mom," Tyson grinned, "You're cool when you're teaching so I wanted to watch for a while."

"Are you saying that I'm not cool when I'm at home, young man?" Yoshie asked with fake anger. She got her youngest son in a headlock, the two of them laughing as Tyson cried out for release, "How dare I have such a disrespectful child! Who is the one that makes the food you eat and washes your clothes, huh? Am I not cool then?"

"Mom!"

Hilary and Max laughed at the interaction of the beagle-like mother and son. Tyson had taken after his mother while Hiro, his older brother, and Motoko, his younger sister, took after their more serious father. It made sense, considering that Yoshie and Tyson looked so similar to each other.

"And Maxie," Yoshie finally turned her attention to the blonde with a slender eyebrow raised, "You and Charlotte never visit. Have you visited your parents yet, dear? I know your mom wanted to see you for a checkup in the hospital. You know how spiritual ones always forget their health for the sake of fighting demons and the like."

"I already went, don't worry, and Mom says I'm the picture of health. I was also in my dad's shop and Kenny says hello," Max chuckled at Yoshie's enthusiastic nature as she grinned at him, "Charlotte is fine too. I hear she's been competing with Motoko recently so she's been busy training."

"Doesn't she want to be a priestess? Why compete with Motoko?" Hilary asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Charlotte wants to be a demon slayer now so she can be better than Motoko who wants to pursue a path of a warrior." Max replied with a sigh, "She has latent spiritual powers but doesn't use them. It's a bit of a waste."

"Motoko's way ahead of your sister in terms of being a warrior, Max." Yoshie replied with a bit of pride lacing her words, "My little girl has been training since she was strong enough to pick up a sword."

"I know. Tell that to stubborn Charlotte." Max sighed. A bell rang in the distance and he looked at them briefly, "I have to get back to the temple. See you guys tomorrow." He began to run, making sure not to fall thanks to the long hem of his robes.

It was a shame but it was the way things ran in South, the land of spirituality. Those with spiritual powers practically lived in the temple and were only allowed from certain hours to remain in town. As soon as the bell sounded, they had to return to the temple to perform their duties.

"See ya, Max!" Tyson waved. Hilary bowed to Yoshie and headed to the pavilion to change out of the armor so she could go home as well. Tyson turned to his mother, "Let's go home, okay? I think Dad, Grandpa and Motoko will be waiting for us."

"Yeah. Let's go!" Yoshie said, not caring to remove her armor, as she and her youngest son headed to their home to be with the rest of their family.

 _ **When the sun sets, you will disappear**_

 _ **So I'm going to place you in my eyes**_

 _ **When darkness comes, I have to forget you**_

 _ **I need to let you go like this**_

Max was walking alone through the path back to the temple. He was humming an old song that the priest had passed down to him. It was the song Lady Chinatsu had written for friends, a song she had written for Lady Ryoko based upon one of her last words. He didn't know why he was singing it now, though.

 _"Apeuge halkwigo ganeun_

 _Nari seon baram sogedo_

 _Ham jum byeoti johaseo usna_

 _Bappeuge seuchigo ganeun_

 _Mujeonghan saram sogedo_

 _Ham jum beosi johaseo usna."_

The song had been a sort of lullaby since he joined the Celestial Temple at the age of eight. It made him think of falling cherry blossom petals while Lady Ryoko stood in said orchard with a soft smile on her face.

Max blushed slightly at the image. He hadn't told anyone how he used to have a crush on the ancient priestess, especially when he was younger. He used to have black and white painting of her that had been made by Lady Tama and idolized her. He had calmed down over the years but he still admired her. Maybe that was one of the reasons he didn't want to know if Tyson was Ryoko's reincarnation.

Would it be awkward for Tyson if his best friend used to have a crush on his past life? The answer was yes.

 _"Oeroum eobsneun goseul chajge doemyeon_

 _Nawa geu goseuro hamkke gadao_

 _Chingu chinguya_

 _Neodawo gomawo."_

Was Lady Ryoko finally reborn? If that was the case, did that mean that the Shikon Jewel, the cursed gem that had caused the death of Ryoko at the hands of the blasted third prince of the South, was back in this plane of existence?

What would the return of the Shikon Jewel bring? What would become of Tyson if word got out that he was the possible reincarnation of Lady Ryoko? Max didn't dare to imagine it.

 _"Chingu chinguya_

 _Neodawo gomawo."_

Max stopped and took out his rosary. No one but he used this path to get to the temple so hearing someone else singing along to this song made him snap back to reality. He looked around with narrowed eyes, "Who's there?"

"Someone that knows that song well." The voice answered, "I was there when it was written, after all."

A demon, Max knew. The song was centuries old, after all, and no human had such a big life span. But why did a demon know this song? He remained silent until he saw the demon sitting on a nearby tree branch.

"You don't look like a demon from South," Max observed, seeing the long black hair of the demon, his yellow cat-like eyes and the ninja-styled black outfit. He was barefoot, swinging his feet slowly. How had Max not sensed him? Had he been that distracted, buried in his thoughts?

"You're perceptive." The demon said with a soft smile, "No human's ever noticed that I'm not from here." A smiling cat-demon reminded him too much of the story of Cheshire Cat. All he needed was a tail to be swishing around.

"Where are you from?" Max wracked his head thinking about everything he'd learn from demons. This was an upperclass demon so it was likely that he was a descendant of one of the four demon gods.

That made him think about the demon god of the West, Byakko the White Tiger. The current demon ruler of the west had thirteen children, but one was said to have died fifty years before Ryoko took the jewel from Sirob. Max knew all the children of the demon lord of the west except . . .

"Seventh prince of the West." Max gave out a small gasp, shocked that the supposed seventh prince was actually alive and here in South. The Seventh Prince smiled at him, showing his sharp canines. Max took out a sutra, "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to ask you about the reincarnation about a certain priestess," Seventh Prince answered, leaning forward to look at Max, "Where is the reincarnation of Ryoko the Priestess?"

 _ **With your footsteps that leave me**_

 _ **the tears that I held in spill out**_

 _ **It's like the falling flower petals**_

 _ **I mourn for you because we need to end it like this**_

Ryoko was walking alone next to a river. She paused to see her reflection and smiled at it sadly. She kneeled down, a finger gently causing ripples on the water. She could have been beautiful, she thought selfishly. If she had decided to not be a priestess, she could've been like other girls that colored their lips and faces.

At this point, perhaps she could have had a husband and children. She didn't know whether to regret her decision to become a priestess or not. Some selfish part of her told her to regret her life choice.

You could've been a normal human girl, her reflection told her in a mocking, you could've found love and felt love. You could've lived without all the blood in your hands yet you chose to live life as the bloodstained sinful priestess. What manner of mortal would love such a beast?

Ryoko closed her eyes, letting a single tear roll down her cheek and land in the river. She looked at the reflection, "No human could love a beast like myself." She would die without love, a fact she already knew. She let out a small chuckle, "In my next life, perhaps, that can be something I can obtain."

Yes.

In her next life, she would be happy and normal and free. She would be able to love and be loved. She smiled, wishing desperately that, in her next life, she could be happy.

In the next life . . .

 _ **When we meet again someday**_

 _ **Let's never say goodbye**_

 _ **My love**_

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **TDWW: Thanks for reading. If you like this story, review, favorite or follow. I really appreciate feedback. Thanks especially to the ones that reviewed, favorited and followed this story already. You make me so happy. See you in the next update whenever it comes!**

 ****Notes****

 ***I don't know why I decided to make Max an onmyouji. It seemed to fit the story, though. Same for Hilary as an archer. Kenny will have an appearance later on in the story, of course.**

 ***Ryoko's scent is blood, cherry blossoms and the smell of autumn. This represents all the foes she's slain, the season she was born in and her favorite flower.**

 ***Tyson's scent is apples, oak and faint traces of blood. This represents his favorite fruit (and Ryoko's favorite fruit), the smell of the trees that grow near the dojo (and what the dojo is made of) and the faint traces of Ryoko's scent.**

 ***Kai is such a loyal guy. He was loyal only to his dear Ryoko for so long.**

 ***Yoshie Granger is alive in this fanfic (hurray!) because I wanted Tyson to have been raised differently than Ryoko. Ryoko was an orphan raised by monks and priestesses without knowing parental love while Tyson knows the love of both parents. Even so, however, the two are still very similar to each other.**

 ***Motoko Granger is an OC named after the voice actor that played Tyson in the Japanese version of the anime, Motoko Kumai.**

 ***Charlotte Tate/Mizuhara is Max's little sister that we saw in Beyblade Rising Chapter 2. I suggest reading Rising since it's pretty great.**

 ***The song Max and Ray sing is a Korean song that came out in the drama** _ **Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo**_ **. It's My Dear Friend (Thank You For Being You) by IU. I recommend you to listen to it since it's such a beautiful song.**

 ***Ray is the Seventh Prince of the West so he's no lowly demon. He's working under Kai, Third Prince of the South, for reasons.**

 ***The lines used for breaks are the rough translation of the Korean song Wind by Jung Sung Hwan, from the same drama as the other song in this chapter. The previous lines used for breaks in Chapter 1 was from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.**


	3. Chapter 3: Lost In Thoughts

**Title: The Tale of the Reincarnated Soul**

 **Author: The-Dark-Whimsical-Witch**

 **Rating: T+**

 **Beta: Demons of the arch angel (Whims of Anime)**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, grammatical errors(?), death, a dash of angst, yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Witch does not own Beyblade. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners such as Aoki Takao. Witch only writes fanfiction.**

 **Inspirations: Inuyasha**

 **Ship(s): Kai x Ryoko, onesided!Sirob x Ryoko, Kai x Tyson, Ray x Max**

 **Thanks to: those who favorited, followed and reviewed. Thank you very much.**

 **Witch: I've returned with a new chapter. Sorry for the delay. I'm not going to be like my beta who updates once every few months.**

 **Anime: Hurtful, my dear Witch, but true. Hope you guys have enjoyed this story so far! I know I have.**

 **Witch: More on the Granger family, Max the onmyouji, Ray and Kai doing random things, etc., etc. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **3: Lost In Thoughts**

Tyson and Motoko were inside the dojo practicing while Yoshie and Bruce Granger watched over them and the patriarch of the Granger household - Ryu Granger, samurai - was instructing the two youngest members of the Granger warrior household. At the moment, he had told them to start dueling and see how they had improved since their last sparts.

"Give up yet, Tyson?" Motoko asked with a light grin as they crossed swords, the metal ringing loudly inside the quiet dojo.

Motoko Granger was a ten year old girl with long navy-blue hair that was currently up in a ponytail and some of her bangs clung to her skin thanks to the sweat she worked up in the practice duel. Her eyes were storm-blue, like her father's, that reminded anyone of her eldest brother Hiro for their sharpness and seriousness.

She and Tyson were wearing kendo uniforms that helped them with their training and the two were barefoot as they fought, having discarded their socks to get better footing. Motoko was, surprisingly, holding her own against her soon-to-be fifteen year old sibling.

"You wish," Tyson replied and the two fell back, blades no longer locked. Motoko gave out a battle cry and lunged at her brother. Tyson easily stepped away from her and knocked the blade out of his sister's hands. Before she could do anything else, he placed his blade on her throat. She gulped, her eyes looking up to meet his.

"Tyson wins!" Yoshie cheered for her son while Bruce sighed. The two parents liked to bet which one of their children would win in battle and it seemed Yoshie had been backing up her son this turn.

"You got too arrogant, Mo-girl," Grandpa Granger told his grandddaughter. She sighed, listening to the words she needed to hear to improve. Despite being so young, she wasn't a brat when she recieved criticism, "That happens when you get too tired and want to finish the match. Tyson doesn't suffer from that so he is focused until the end. Your stance was lacking too, Moko."

Motoko sighed, picking up her fallen blade and sheathing it, "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind, Grandpa." She bowed to Tyson, "Great match, big brother."

"You too, Moko," Tyson ruffled his little sister's hair and grinned, "You're getting stronger by the day. You're probably stronger than I was when I was your age. Charlotte won't even be able to beat you." The last statement made his sister smile up at him. She had the competitive spirit of the Grangers, alright.

"Time for you two to hit the bath," Yoshie told them before looking at the time, "Hiro might come home today."

"Really?!" The two sweat-covered blunettes asked. Since he was a demon slayer, Hiro was almost never home. Whenever he did come home, he made sure to either teach them fighting techniques, bring souvenirs or tell them stories of his battles. Whatever he told them, it was always interesting.

"Yes, so go to the bath." Bruce said and Tyson and Motoko left the dojo to do just that. He smiled, "Those two are so hyper over hearing news of their brother."

"It is nice for Hiro to be home again," Yoshie said. She remembered the first days of Hiro being a demon slayer and shuddered. Demons had been attracted to her child and had targeted him out of all the members of his unit. It had been terrifying when no news came for months but, now, Hiro was no longer a child. He was one of the greatest slayers at the moment and nothing made her prouder.

"Last I heard, he and his unit had exterminated a demon lord that was causing problems in the North," Grandpa Granger inserted. Yoshie nodded and leaned closer to her husband. They had heard the same news and had heard that one of Hiro's comrades had died in that battle. The family of said slayer was devasted and Hiro had to offer condolences as he was the team leader of Unit 445.

"I wonder how he's fairing now." Yoshie muttered to herself. This was one of the reasons why she didn't want Tyson and Motoko to follow in the path of the warrior. They were talented, just like Hiro, and would probably become leaders of units. That was a heavy responsibility, however, and she didn't wish them to bear the guilt of the deaths of their comrades. She knew that guilt well, having led a small mercanary group before she came to South.

She didn't want Tyson and Motoko to fight and see what she had seen. Perhaps that was selfish of her, as her children had expressed their desire to join the slayers like their brother. She knew she couldn't stop them but a small part of her still tried.

She didn't want her children to get hurt.

 _ **It's a different place, a different time but my love is right**_

 _ **Even by your scent that passes with the wind, I know it's you**_

Seventh Prince was a threat to Tyson.

That was what Max thought as he reinforced his spells on a sealed demon. Almost everyone in the temple was asleep but he couldn't do the same. He still remembered those gleaming yellow eyes of the demon and thinking of what he wanted with Ryoko's reincarnation terrified him.

He wasn't sure if Ryoko was Tyson's past life but there were so many clues that could show she was. If any demon found those same clues he had, they'd jump to the same conclusion and try to hurt his best friend for crimes he didn't commit. That's why he had avoided telling Seventh Prince the truth until the Master of the Temple had found them and had helped Max in chasing the demon away.

"Max, you should be asleep."

Max broke his concentration in the spell to look up to see a familiar face and smiled, "Daichi, you're the one that should be asleep. I'm not the one that's going to perform an exorcism tomorrow, after all."

The younger red-headed green-eyed boy with a strange birthmark on his forehead smiled down at him. He was dressed in pajamas, meaning he must have gotten out of bed because the nerves wouldn't let him sleep. Daichi Sumeragi was a shaman and a great one too. His spiritual powers were immense - nothing as grand as Max's, though - and had arrived in the temple when he was eleven two years ago. He was constantly used for exorcisms because of how well he interacted with spirits.

"Gosh, don't remind me," Daichi yawned, sitting down next to Max, "Anyways, you shouldn't reinforce these spells anymore. Trust me, they're going to hold. That demon isn't going to leave for a long time."

"I just needed to relax, is all."

Daichi raised an eyebrow, "Reinforcing spells for a sealed demon relaxes you?"

Max rolled his eyes and let out a long sigh, "Something like that. I just had a rough day and wanted to unwind some more." He looked out the window and wondered if he imagined yellow eyes glancing at him. No demon dared come near here so it wasn't possible, right?

"Make sure that you wake up early to polish the Holy Sword tomorrow." Daichi yawned as the two stood up, Max stretching after being here for almost an hour.

The Holy Sword was a relic of the temple that was treated with awe because of the power that radiated off it. It had belonged to Lady Ryoko and, for that reason, it was considered sacred. In fact, it looked a little like a demon sword because it had scales-.

 _"It had dragon scales on the left side of the blade and it glowed with an unearthly feel. When I touched it, I felt so powerful . . ."_

Tyson's words from earlier in the day came back and Max's eyes widened. How could he have not thought about it until now? The Holy Sword was hidden from the people since the day Ryoko died and no portraits or statues of Ryoko had it since it looked a lot like a demon sword. The fact that Tyson knew it and could describe it as if he had seen it physically just solidified Max's theory.

Tyson was Ryoko's reincarnation.

"Daichi, do we have any portraits of Lady Ryoko done in color?" He asked, almost trembling at the fact that this was happening.

Daichi nodded, "There was one. I found it when I cleaned Lady Chinatsu's room. I left it hanging in her room so-."

"Thanks, Daichi. Goodnight." Max said, rushing to leave the Demon Hall. Daichi shrugged at his weird behavior before he headed back to his room. Max, on the other hand, rushed to Lady Chinatsu's room.

Lady Chinatsu was the apprentice of Lady Ryoko and had been the closest person to the priestess. She had been the first to find the wounded Ryoko the day of her death and stayed by her side until Ryoko died. She became a powerful priestess and composed songs that they sang often in South. She disappeared when she was seventeen and on a mission to defeat some demon in the West. Her room was kept in almost the same condition as she had left it so it was amazing what they found in the recesses of said room when they cleaned it.

Max stopped in front of her room and slid it open. He paused in the doorway, taking it in. The futon was made in the same way Chinatsu had done hers before she had left for her mission that she never returned from. A kimono was thrown in the floor that was kept in great condition despite the fact that it was almost five thousand years old.

Scrolls were opened and closed in what must have been her library and Max could see a paintbrush and an incompleted sketch. There were paints of numerous colors in her workstation. There were no shoes in her room and scrolls that named important aspects of everyday priestess life hanged from the walls.

Max looked for the portrait Daichi had talked about and found it next to the song she had written and he loved. As soon as he saw the portrait, he took in a sharp intake of breath.

Ryoko's hair was navy-blue and her eyes were auburn. She was smiling and it looked so familiar because that was the way Tyson smiled. She was reaching out for someone but Max couldn't see who it was since that part of the portrait had been ripped away. However, it must have been someone she cared for since he could see how happy she was.

What really struck Max was how young she looked. He knew she had died young - she had still been a teenager - but he had never expected she had been around fifteen or sixteen when she had died. Her face seemed to glow with youth and Max almost wanted to cry. She must have been a child when she obtained the Shikon Jewel and killed so many demons. It was unfair. He probably wouldn't have been so emotional over this if Ryoko hadn't looked so much like Tyson.

It was official now.

Tyson and Ryoko were one in the same.

 _ **But I don't know when did you start living in my heart?**_

 _ **I don't know the reason my heart flutters when I see you**_

 _ **You can pass me by because you forgot about me**_

 _ **Until you remember, I will wait for you**_

Ray was smiling widely and it was unnerving Kai.

The duo were currently inside their lair close to Tamayuki, the place they used to live in when Ryoko was alive. Kai's band of demons were inside as well, muttering amongst themselves and ignoring Kai and his second-in-command.

"Mind telling me why you're grinning like some insane cat?" Kai asked, looking out the window to see the lights of the city nearby where his love was. He could feel Ray's eyes on him before Kai turned to face him.

"Oh, I think I might have found a little canary who can help us find your dear corrupted flower." Ray replied. He took out a small bead that seemed to belong to a rosary or a bracelet and smirked.

"Oh, is that so?" Kai turned to face him, waiting for Ray to continue.

"Yeah," Ray said, throwing the bead and it vanished in a plume of smoke. A sacred bead meant to destroy demonic barriers, perhaps. He stretched in a feline-like manner before continuing, "The canary had some her scent clinging to him. Interesting, to say the least. Not to mention that he seemed on edge when he returned to the temple."

"You're stalking priests now, Ray?" Kai asked, sending Ray a smile, "I thought you said that I was a fool for having my attention taken by a priestess yet your dear canary is doing the same to you."

Ray glared at him and Kai laughed. Their roles were reversed this time around, it seemed. Poor Ray, Kai thought, he was going to fall for this human if he's not careful, the mistake that Kai had committed five thousand years ago.

"I won't fall for him." Ray said and Kai knew that would be a lie. No matter what they would say, humans had an uncanny ability to lure demons in with their charms. Humans probably didn't know they had that power and, if they did, they would still use it. They were greedy for love, after all.

"That is what I told myself when I wanted to kill her." Kai said and he knew that he didn't have to say who he was talking about. Ray understood - he had been the first to understand - and he could see the raven flinch.

Kai turned to glance at the bright full moon that was hanging up in the night sky, "Emotions cannot be controlled, Ray. You cannot deny them because they'll just be more stubborn and consume you if you're not careful. The more you deny, the more it happens."

"I've only just seen him today, Kai." Ray replied with a groan, "I won't even be in contact with him. I'll only be watching him in order to find Ryoko and the Shikon Jewel. That little canary will hardly be my priority."

"Keep telling yourself that." Kai scoffed.

A snake-like bipedal demon with purple scales and gleaming eyes approached them and bowed, "Massster, to celebrate your return to Tamayuki, sssshall we feasssst ssssomething exotic today?"

"Orochi, there's no need for a celebration." Kai waved the demon away and Ray sighed along with Orochi. If Kai had his way, the demons would never be able to unwind and have fun.

"But Massster Kai, you returned to thissss town after your long absssence. The only reassson you'd return issss if Lady Ryoko can be reunited with you once more."

Kai paused and looked at Orochi in a new light. The demon had come from the North in order to kill Ryoko. The two had fought but, for some strange reason, Ryoko had spared Orochi. The demon had wanted to understand why and had joined Kai's crusade to kill her. After Kai fell for her, Orochi began to like her the way the others did. After her death, he had even volunteered to steal her ashes so Kai could keep her by his side but Kai had declined. He often forgot that Orochi and the other men understood his love for a mortal that had died centuries ago.

"You're right, Orochi," Kai smiled, eyes flashing as the light of the moon hit his eyes, "Today is a day of celebration." He had been able to confirm that Ryoko had reincarnated today and Ray had found a lead. Perhaps they should celebrate after all.

"Find some good prey, okay?" Ray told Orochi with a grin, "Animal or human, anything to make this satisfying."

Orochi bowed, "Of courssse. Men, time to go hunting!"

"It's been a while since they've hunted, right?" Kai asked Ray as the demons hissed and cheered with glee. Ray nodded and Kai sighed, "Then this outing will be good for them."

Pity the poor humans that were taken for their food.

 _ **My love, look at me**_

 _ **Do you still love me?**_

 _ **My love, look at my eyes and tell me**_

 _ **A heart full of love can't be hidden**_

Hiro enjoyed being with his family.

His father - Bruce Granger - was a strong, headstrong man that had helped him become the successful demon slayer he was now through harsh training. If he could compare his father to the weather, he would be a thunderstorm because of his power.

His mother - Yoshie Granger - was a soothing, cunning woman that helped him develop his brain to almost its full capacity. If he could compare his mother to the weather, she would be a tsunami because of how you didn't expect her surge of power.

His grandfather - Ryu Granger - was a relaxing, wise man that had helped him by giving him advice that had helped him in hard situations. If he could compare his grandfather to the weather, he would be a tornado because you knew he was strong just by looking at him.

His brother - Tyson Granger - was a laid-back, happy teenager while his sister - Motoko Granger - was a high-strung, hyperactive child. Both of them were the reason why Hiro kept fighting so hard, in order for them to live happy. They were clear skies, gentle breezes, rainbows and nice sunshine.

Hiro could hear Motoko and Tyson chatting in the bathroom - he wondered why the two were still taking baths together - from his spot in the trees. The gentle breeze of the night would have calmed him it wasn't a full moon. It was in this part of the lunar cycle that demons tended to be more active. Like lunatics, he thought to himself and laughed softly at his own joke.

"Okay, Motoko, greatest priestess that ever lived and why?" He heard Tyson quiz their little sister.

"Oh, Lady Ryoko! She defeated many demons, put many demons under seal and managed to take the Shikon Jewel from Sirob."

"The greatest demon slayer?"

"I'm stuck between two. Sir Brooklyn of the East because he founded the First Order of Slayers nine hundred years ago and Sir Hiro Granger of the South because he's our big brother!"

"Hey, this flattery will get you nowhere!" Tyson said and Hiro smiled as he heard them laugh. It was soothing to hear their carefree laughter, especially when he was gone from long periods of time. The two probably didn't know they had that effect on the older Grangers and was part of the reason why they didn't want them to be warriors. If they became warriors, they would lose that carefree innocence Hiro cherished. If he could avoid it, he wouldn't let them become slayers, even if that was selfish of him.

In the end, though, he had no real voice in the matter. If Tyson becomes a demon slayer, and Motoko follows in his footsteps, he'll just have to deal with it. Even if it hurt, he would support them no matter what.

"Ty, Moko, out of the bath! Dinner's ready!" Yoshie said and Hiro smiled, jumping down from his spot in the tree. Dinner with his family would help with all the negative thoughts he had inside his mind about the death of a dear comrade - _she was just sixteen, she was a beginner, his responsibility, he_ failed _her_ \- and the exhaustion he currently felt.

He sighed and heard rustling in the trees. He turned to face the forest, eyes narrowed as he looked around the foliage. He thought he saw the glint of a large fang but, before he could investigate, he felt a slender hand on his shoulder.

"They're waiting for you, dear," Yoshie said with a smile and how could he ignore his mother and the rest of his family?

"Alright, Mother, I'm going." Hiro said with a smile as he entered the dojo. Still, he couldn't stop the nagging feeling that something was going to happen tonight. He'd have to be on alert.

 _ **Don't ever forget the truth that I was by your side**_

 _ **Don't erase my heart that could sacrifice everything for you**_

Tyson loved having all the family over for dinner, especially since it just filled their huge home with laughter and tales of courage. At the moment, Hiro, Motoko and Tyson were laughing as their father told them about some kid slipping on a banana peel as he was coming home from work.

"You made that up, Bruce!" Yoshie laughed along with their children and her father-in-law.

"I'm not!" He said, shaking his head, "It happened today and Taro saw it with me! He can vouch for what I saw!"

"You have to be kidding, Dad!" Motoko giggled, nudging Tyson with her elbow and just laughing harder, "Kid's never going to live through this! Banana Boy!"

These moments were the best, Tyson thought as they all laughed, tears coming out of their eyes. Honestly, banana boy wasn't that funny but what made them laugh so much was that they were so close at the moment. They treasured days like these because there were days where Hiro wasn't home or Bruce was going to be in the North for a while or Yoshie was going to the capital. Days where all the members of the family were present were the best.

So Tyson enjoyed talking about school - for once - only to see Hiro happy since his brother didn't have that mundane ritual anymore. He enjoyed hearing about Motoko's rivalry Charlotte only to see her excitement about beating her friend and the encouragement their parents gave her competitive spirit. He liked to hear about his grandfather's trainees since his insight on their training helped Hiro, Motoko and Tyson learn more. He loved hearing about his father's typical day in the academy since he was so passionate about it and hearing his mother praising her archers showed her dedication.

He loved his family and being with them was the best. He wondered briefly how he got so lucky in getting such a wonderful family.

After dinner, they talked in the living room over more serious topics - a war brewing in the East that could lead the eldest Grangers to take action, demons stirring that caused grief to Hiro and the rest of the demon slayers and people with spiritual powers vanishing out of thin air - before it was time to turn in for the night.

They were all dressed in light blue yukatas - the color of their family clan - as they headed to their rooms. Yoshie stretched, "Tomorrow will be a productive day, guys, so don't laze around here all day."

"We got it, Mom." Motoko and Tyson droned.

"Tomorrow is my only free day, Mother. I deserve a free day." Hiro yawned, leaning on Motoko, who almost tripped, "Just Moko, Ty and me, lazing around and sleeping. Doesn't that sound heavenly?"

"A great plan," Tyson yawned, sliding his door open and entering his room. Despite the traditional layout of the house, they all had beds rather than futons. Max loved the futons more - he had been sleeping on them since he started living in the temple - so there were two sets of futons rolled up in his closet.

He laid down in bed, humming to himself as he hit the pillow. Today was such a soothing day, despite the nightmare he had last night. Just thinking about it made him shudder. Thankfully, Motoko hadn't seen his bruise so he avoided the questions she surely would have unleashed.

Just thinking about the fact that his dreams were connected to his past life terrified him. How badly had his previous incarnation suffered? Maybe the reason he had such a good life now was the world making up for the pain they had caused him in his previous life.

He had barely closed his eyes when he heard his door sliding open. His eyes opened and, before he could utter a sound, he felt hands on him. He let out a muffled scream and violet eyes met his. They were glowing and _so familar_ and they made him so drowsy.

"Shhh," The demon said in a soft voice that made him want to slip deeper into a deep slumber, "It's time to relax and sleep. We need you to sleep. Enter a world of simple dreams, my dear."

Without even thinking - if he had, he'd been able to break out of the hypnosis like Hiro had taught him - Tyson followed the voice's instructions and drifted to sleep, unaware of the chain of events that would cause.

 _ **But I don't know when did you start living in my heart?**_

 _ **I don't know the reason my heart flutters when I see you**_

 _ **You can pass me by because you forgot about me**_

 _ **Until you remember, I will wait for you**_

Sirob smelled the air and smirked, grin wide. He could feel the Shikon Jewel in the direction of the South. He could also smell her scent and he almost grinned. He'd be regaining two precious items that were lost five thousand years.

"Soon, my dear bride," He muttered to himself, touching the white silk of the wedding kimono he had made for Ryoko when she had been thirteen. He wanted to own the girl - possess her - that didn't let her heart be tamed. He would keep her this time.

This time, he'd make sure that Ryoko and the Shikon Jewel would remain in his hands.

"All hail Sirob, King of Demons," He whispered to himself in the empty room.

He wouldn't lose neither of his treasures this time.

 _ **In the same place, in the same time, we're together**_

 _ **You can always come to me, back to your place**_

Ryoko was making her rounds around the outskirts of the village. She could feel Kai watching her but found she didn't mind. Not only had he not killed her, he hadn't done anything to procure her wrath. As such, he was tolerable.

She stopped to look at a small family laughing joyfully as the father of the family told a tale. The children looked at their parents with eager eyes while the mother was playing along with her husband. It was a beautiful scene, she thought to herself.

She didn't remember her parents much but remembered when she had found them murdered in the hut they lived in. A demon had torn them to pieces, along with her brothers and sisters and she had almost suffered the same fate. She had managed to escape, though, and she had ran for days. She didn't miss her family most of the time since she was so busy but, on moments like these, she wished she had a family to call her own.

"Kai," She turned to face the demon that was sitting on a tree branch. He said nothing and she walked closer to the tree and sat down on its roots. She looked up at him, "Do you have a family?"

"Of course I do," He answered curtly.

She smiled, wondering if demons placed the same amount of importance in family values as humans did, "Tell me about them." She must be crazy if she sought the company of a demon and was having a conversation with said demon. Was she crazy?

"My father is the strongest demon of the South and my mother is as well. I have two older brothers, three older sister and one younger sister. I hear that I have a half-demon for a younger brother but I doubt it."

She grinned, "So, are you sixth in line or third in line?"

"My sisters do not covet the throne so third in line," Kai said with a frown. It was clearly a sensitive topic for him but Ryoko found she didn't care much. She wanted to hear more about his family, as if that would help with her own.

"Wow," She said, looking down at her hands. She played with one of the strands of her hair, lost in thought, "Six siblings, seven if you count the half brother. You're lucky to have so many, you know."

"It's a burden," Kai replied.

"Really? I don't think so." She answered and looked at him, "You demons don't know how good you got it, is all." A selfish part of her wanted to have a family like Kai did and the fact that he didn't know how good he had it made the jealousy grow. What was wrong with her, getting jealous over a demon?

"Do you want a family?"

The words made her flinch. Could he read minds?

"What makes you ask that?" She asked, looking away from him. Of course she did. She wanted brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, children . . . She wanted to belong somewhere, not just in the temple. She wanted someone to love her. Not romantically but the love that she witnessed when parents played with their children. She wanted that. Was that something selfish of her?

 _Of course,_ a part of her laughed. _How pathetic you are. You don't deserve that, you sinful human being._ The words hurt but they were the truth. She didn't deserve anything.

She jolted out of her thoughts when Kai landed in front of her, his fingers lifting her chin up. She blushed when she realized she had been close to shedding tears and frowned, "W-What?"

"It's normal to want a family." Kai replied, not commenting on her tears. He wiped them away, his touch almost gentle, "If I could, I'd give you my family but I don't think you want to be in a family of demons."

"I shouldn't have those desires." She replied, placing a hand on her heart, "I shouldn't feel anything. I shouldn't want things-."

"You should or you'll be lying to yourself." Kai shot back, glaring at her, "Don't hide your wants. Isn't that going to be worse for you in the long run?" She looked away, knowing he was right and hating it. The pent-up negative emotions could cause her grief so she had to let it out, one way or the other.

"If you want a family so badly," Kai said but stopped. He smiled and leaned in close. Ryoko's eyes widened as their lips connected. The contact was brief but it was enough to get her heart pumping and she was upset when Kai pulled away. He took in her flushed face and red-rimmed eyes and whispered, "we can make one."

She wasn't able to reply before he took to the skies, leaving her as an emotional mess. A trembling hand touched her lips and they seemed to tingle from the contact they previously had. A kiss from a demon, a poison that she found was akin to ambrosia.

 _"If you want a family so badly, we can make one."_

Ryoko smiled softly.

That didn't sound like such a bad idea.

 _ **lalalalalalala**_

 _ **With you, for you**_

 _ **My love, look at me**_

 _ **Do you still love me?**_

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **TDWW: Thanks for reading. If you like this story, review, favorite or follow. I really appreciate feedback. Thanks especially to the ones that reviewed, favorited and followed this story already. You make me so happy. See you in the next update whenever it comes!**

 ****Notes****

 ***Motoko Granger is a fun character to write. She's so cute. Nickname: Moko. Reason? Umm,** _ **Skip Beat**_ **, anyone?**

 ***Daichi Sumeragi is here and is a shaman? Honestly, the reason I did that was because Daichi reminds me a little of Yoh Asakura (not personality since Yoh is so chill and Daichi isn't) from** _ **Shaman King**_ **.**

 ***Anyone remember little Chinatsu from chapter 1? There's going to be a lot of mentions of her.**

 ***Ryoko died at the age of fifteen, nearing sixteen. Tyson is reaching the age Ryoko died in.**

 ***Kai and Ray aren't demons that need to eat humans but they do enjoy it.**

 ***Ray is going to fall in love with Max. Parallels to Kai and Ryoko's relationship, eh? Hehe.**

 ***Tyson has such a loving family because Ryoko wanted a big family and this shows that she achieved most of her wishes in her reincarnation. Tyson was also given his dear family because Ryoko deserved it after losing hers.**

 ***Sirob is a creep (spell his name backwards and you know why), Tyson is kidnapped and might be eaten and Kai is Kai. Huff.**

 ***Kai's family: Voltaire (grandfather), Susumu (father), Anya (mother), two older brothers, three older sisters, one younger sister and one younger brother (half-demon half-brother). He has nothing on Ray (twelve siblings, his parents and grandparents) though.**

 ***Kai x Ryoko scene was done before the events of Chapter 1 and happened when Ryoko was fourteen and Kai (pedophile) was about a century old.**

 ***Lines used for breaks: For You by EXO-CBX (Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin) from the soundtrack** _ **Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo**_


	4. Chapter 4: I Remember You

**Title: The Tale of the Reincarnated Soul**

 **Author: The-Dark-Whimsical-Witch**

 **Rating: T+**

 **Beta: Demons of the arch angel (Whims of Anime)**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, grammatical errors(?), death, a dash of angst, yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Witch does not own Beyblade. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners such as Aoki Takao. Witch only writes fanfiction.**

 **Inspirations: Inuyasha, Moon Lovers**

 **Ship(s): Kai x Ryoko, onesided!Sirob x Ryoko, Kai x Tyson, Ray x Max**

 **Thanks to: those who favorited, followed and reviewed. Thank you very much.**

 **Witch: The first chapter of July. What an achievement, especially since it is Chapter 4 where things speed up. The line between who Ryoko and Tyson are blurs. How will our dear Tyson handle this?**

 **Anime: Dunno. Just tell them to read already.**

 **Witch: Fair point. Enjoy, everyone!**

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **4: I Remember You**

Tyson woke up inside a pot and decided that this was the weirdest place he had ever fallen asleep in and his parents told him he used to sleep under trees or on them. His hands were bound and he could hearing hisses and cackles outside his current imprisonment. Everything came back to him and he cursed himself mentally. How could he be so stupid to get kidnapped by demons?

"How many did you catch?" He hears a feminine voice ask and he can hear claws tapping the pot he was stuck inside. He tried not to make any noise as he could hear the demon laugh, "Is there a human inside here?"

"What?" Another asks, shock evident in their voice, "Our Rikomo caught a human?"

"Yes, what of it?" Rikomo asks and the hall dissolves into laughter. Rikomo growls, "For that attitude on my hunting abilities, only Prince Kai and Master Ray will be able to eat my catch!" Tyson didn't know what was worse: getting shared by an army of demons or just by three. He didn't want to leave the safety of this pot, he decided.

"Don't be like that, Rikomo. It's just that you're the youngest of all of us. Aren't you just six hundred years old?" One asked and Tyson almost choked. Just six hundred years old? At this point, Rikomo was already classified as a Level XXX demon, one of the most dangerous demons that Hiro hated to fight against. With the power of his hypnosis, he might even be Level XXXX.

"So? Age doesn't matter, does it? I am the only one that brought back a human for the feast. Didn't you just bring deer and boars, Tokuyuka?" Rikomo shot back to the demon that had commented on his age. Tyson heard jeers from the other demons and someone shouted for Tokuyuka and Rikomo to get a room.

"Don't talk big just because your parents were close to Prince Kai and Lady-."

"Are the preparationssss for the feasssst done?" A commanding serpent-like voice sounded and all the demons were now silent. Tyson didn't know why but he sounded so familiar to him. Had he met this demon before?

 _-A rainy day and there was blood around him, along with corpses of several demons. A serpent-like demon was yelling at him but he couldn't hear what he was saying. He pointed his nocked arrow in his direction but he hesitated-._

"Yes, Orochi-sama!" Tokuyuka said, voice serious, no longer sounding like the teasing demon anymore, "We picked all sorts of fruits, hunted all sorts of animals and Rikomo managed to get a human."

"Good job, Rikomo," The serpent demon said, touching the pot that Tyson was stuck inside of. He felt the pot moving and he let out a sound of disgruntlement at it. The demon paused and stopped moving his pot before speaking, "Get the human prepared for the meal."

Is this how Tyson's life was going to end? Eaten by demons before he even got to turn fifteen? Ah, what cruel fate was this? Hell, he had wanted to be a _demon_ slayer. What had his past life done for him to be tortured this way?

Why him?

 _ **I'm holding in my breath and looking at you as if the world has stopped**_

 _ **Like the passing wind**_

 _ **Even if you don't see me,**_

 _ **My heart goes toward you**_

Ray sniffed the air and grinned, "I can smell a human." He sounded excited and Kai knew it was because they had abstained from eating humans for centuries, in mourning of Ryoko. After the period of mourning - two centuries - was over, none of them had the appetite for human. Now, though, the appetite had been restored for this celebration feast.

Ray licked his lips, humming happily, "I can't tell much about him or her, though. They probably put the human inside a pot so the scent is dim. I can't smell if they're man or woman, child or elderly." He wrinkled his nose suddenly, akin to a cat, "It better not be an elderly. They don't taste very well."

"If your darling priest hears you say that, he'll never love you." Kai deadpanned and Ray glared at him for the comment. Kai was enjoying teasing his long time friend, especially since Ray used to tease him when he was wooing Ryoko centuries ago.

"I'm not falling for a human, Kai, so I don't care what he would think about me eating a human. It'd be if I was patronizing him for eating a horse or something," Ray answered with an annoyed huff. Showing this much annoyance was just giving Kai more fuel to annoy the feline demon.

"Keep telling yourself that," Kai answered. He sniffed the air and frowned. He could smell a hint of . . . oak? That was a smell he was associating with Ryoko's reincarnation. He was imagining the scent, right?

"What's wrong with you?" Ray asked. Kai shook his head, ignoring the scent that reminded him too much of Ryoko. A feast was going to be done so that would explain the scent of apples while the faint scent of blood was coming from them. It smelled of autumn and oak since that was the season they were in and they were surrounded by oak trees.

But what about the scent of the cherry blossoms?

 _"They're my favorite,"_ He could imagine Ryoko walking around a patch of them during the spring as she dragged him along, the girl's eyes wide with wonder and love, _"Their beauty may last for a short time but they're my favorite flowers."_

Why could he smell the cherry blossoms?

 _ **Loving you is such a painful thing**_

 _ **Feelings that can't be emptied is such a sad thing**_

 _ **My dear, don't forget my unstoppable love**_

Tyson heard silence so it was a good time to get out of the pot and run. He cautiously opened the lid of the pot and looked around. He seemed to be inside the kitchen of some kind of fancy manor. A demon's manor, he reminded himself, since this kitchen looked a whole lot like a human's kitchen.

He stood up and hissed as most of his limbs were asleep from how long he had been cramped up in that blasted pot. He dropped the lid softly and struggled to get out of the pot without making a noise. He was so glad that Hiro had taught him how to get out of situations like these. Mentally, he apologized to his brother for complaining loudly during training because "I'm not even going to be in this situation in my life." Hiro sure showed him.

After getting out, and regaining some feeling on his sleeping limbs, he put the lid back on the pot. It might buy him some time in the long run if the demons thought he was still trapped in there, he decided before he began to look for a knife to get rid of his bonds. He needed his hands to be free to get outta here.

He looked around the kitchen and saw an assortment of fruits. He was tempted to take one of the bright red apples - he had a huge weakness to that fruit and it had been the source of blackmail material before - but he managed to not take one after seeing a gutted deer with most of the internal organs out.

"Feast, huh?" He thought to himself aloud as he found a knife that wasn't covered with blood and guts. He began to cut himself free of his bounds, hating that the rope was so thick. What type of material had they used to bind him?

"Rikomo, I want to clean the human~!"

Tyson froze before he began to cut with more haste. Tokuyuka and Rikomo were coming this way for him so he had to get away now. He almost gave out a cry of relief when the ropes slackened and his hands were free. He tossed the cut ropes inside a sack where he could see some potatoes before he rushed to the second door that led in and out of the kitchen. Maybe it could lead him to an exit.

"Tokuyuka, don't you have better things to do than harass me?" He heard Rikomo groan and he was so close to him. Tyson had to get outta here right now or be caught.

Tokuyuka laughed, "Not at the moment-."

Tyson slid the door close and let out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes and leaning on the door. He opened his eyes to look at the room he was in, walking slightly forward, and cursed softly as hundreds of eyes turned to face him. He gulped, stuttering slightly as he said, "N-Nice One-Hundred Eyed Guard Demon."

The demon covered most of the room and was a writhing mess, hissing and screeching as if it was in pain. It had no visible arms or legs but Tyson could make out eyes, tongues, teeth and mouths. Why did it look like that? Why did it have multiple organs? It was staring right at him and something out of its odd body came out. Was that a hand?

Tyson leaned his back on the door once more, trembling wildly as the hand came to rest on his cheek. It felt slimy and so wrong. Man, Tyson wanted to throw up so badly that it was impressive to him that he hadn't.

"Ryo . . . ryo . . ." It said from its multiple mouths and Tyson's legs almost gave out.

One of the many mouths of the demon approached and that was the last stand.

"No!" Tyson yelled, slapping the hand of him, turning around and sliding the door open without a care. He ran, avoiding the two demons that were Tokuyuka and Rikomo. He didn't know where he was running but anywhere was close to that demon-.

 _-A young man kissing his hand and smiling up at him. A handsome young man with long golden locks and golden eyes - "Aren't you just a charmer?" - that had been introduced to him by-._

Tyson grimaced as he felt that image appear then disappear. What was wrong with him? Why would he be thinking about such a thing now? Where had that memory - _it was a memory but it wasn't his,_ _ **it was mine**_ \- come from? He needed to get out of here, not think about some random demon.

What was going on?

 _ **I'm sorry.**_

Why was this happening?

 _ **Your eyes,**_

 _ **They're looking at me as if they know my heart**_

 _ **Even when I try to get far away**_

 _ **The memories are asking us even if I'm in a different place**_

"Wasn't that the human?!" Tokuyuka asked as he saw something dart out of the room where the cursed Eien rested. As Rikomo nodded, almost in a daze, Tokuyuka cursed, "Then let's find it before it can get away, idiot! Let's go!"

The two demons rushed as fast as they could through the halls, searching for the human that had managed to slip away. The demons passed through some of their comrades that had bumped into the human and had also picked up the pace.

"This scent is familiar. Where'd you get this kid, Rikomo?" One of them - an old demon by the name of Bishage that had served Prince Kai since the monarch's birth - asked, sniffing the air and frowning, "Her scent reminds me of someone who died centuries ago."

"Of who, Bishage?" Rikomo asked. He didn't know a lot about what went on with this clan, being a recent recruit. He didn't know about some girl named Lady Ryoko even though almost everyone did and her name was taboo. He didn't even dare ask for he was afraid of being killed.

Bishage grunted, knowing Rikomo was too young to know about this, "No one you need to know about. Just focus on getting that slippery human to us."

"Gotcha."

 _ **Loving you is such a painful thing**_

 _ **Feelings that can't be emptied is such a sad thing**_

 _ **My dear, don't forget my unstoppable love**_

Tyson had always been the athletic type but he must have been more athletic than he thought since he was outrunning the demons. He jumped over a couple of demons and wondered if this would give him high marks with his physical education teacher. He supposed it did because, not only did he jump high and far, he avoided the hands of the demons.

"Get her already!" Someone shouted for him and Tyson screwed up at that exact moment.

He stepped on something sharp and pain shot up on his left foot. As he faltered due to the pain, the demons were on him in an instant. He cursed, thrashing around to make them release him, "Let go, you bastards!"

"This one is pretty feisty," A green-haired male with orange eyes laughed, holding onto his arms and pulling him so he was standing upright. Tyson recognized his voice as Tokuyuka, the demon that he had almost grown familiar with. He appeared to be a Level XXXXX demon, judging by his human-like appearance. Demons that appeared as humans tended to be the strongest as they could hide their true forms, or so Hiro had told him.

"Yeah, where did you pick her up, Rikomo?" The question was directed at a demon that looked to be around sixteen years of age or younger. He had short teal hair and violet eyes, the violet eyes that had lulled him to sleep and made him end up in this situation. Looking at him, Tyson wasn't sure whether or not he should hate him.

"In Tamayuki," He answered and Tyson wondered why some of the demons paused. Suddenly, someone punched Rikomo in the chest and he fell to his knees with a cough. What had the young demon done wrong? Tokuyuka's grip on Tyson tightened at that, the younger demon coughing violently.

"Fool, you know you're not allowed to say the name of that village aloud. What do you think would happen if Prince Kai heard you? You'll dredge up painful memories for him. Have care next time because then there won't be a next time." A demon hissed. This one had long white hair and grey eyes and looked significantly older than Rikomo. Well, he appeared to be older than most of the demons in this clan.

"I apologize, Bishage." Rikomo said with a bow, holding his wounded stomach. He looked like he was still in pain and Tyson felt sorry for him. He hadn't done anything bad in order to receive that punishment.

"Give it a rest, Bishage, the kid hasn't been here long enough." Tokuyuka said and Tyson wondered if he knew how obvious he was with his feelings for the younger demon. Rikomo frowned at him while others laughed.

"Who cares about all that, Yuka," A female demon said, the same female demon from earlier, "It's time to prepare this human for the feast, or have you forgetten? You need to stop looking into Riko's eyes."

"Shut up," Tokuyuka muttered before turning his attention to Tyson, "Prince Kai likes his food to be either fried, raw or just cooked. How would you like to be prepared?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?!" Tyson retorts, struggling once again, "Put me down or I'll shove my foot up your-."

"Temper, temper, love! Fried it is!" Tokuyuka laughs. Tyson growls, squirming around but the damn demon's grip on him is too strong. All his struggles are rewarded by laughter from the demons as they begin to lead him back to the kitchen and time seemed to slow down for Tyson at that moment.

He had heard that, as you are about die, your life flashes before your eyes. His life flashes before his eyes briefly and he hates how he hadn't been able to accomplish anything of importance yet. He was fourteen, turning fifteen in about a month, and he was going to be devoured by demons.

 _I don't want this._

 _ **Arrows shooting wildly. Run. Don't look back. Live.**_

 _I don't deserve this._

 _ **Run, run, run. You'll survive if you run.**_

 _I don't want to die like this._

 _ **I need to survive. Shoot the arrow. Keep moving.**_

 _I refuse to be demon food!_

 _ **I need to live!**_

"Let me go!" Tyson screams and his body glows with a strong purple light that is blinding and beautiful at the same time. The demons screech and hiss, releasing him before roaring loudly in pain. He falls down on his knees, surrounded by limbs and demons in pain. He looked at his hands in wonder, "How did I-?"

Tyson had been measured by the head priest in Tamayuki and it had shown that he didn't have an ounce of spiritual powers within him. He had been slightly upset - he had been eight and had wanted to join his best friend in the temple - but had stopped when his mother had promised him ice cream that day. As such, Tyson accepted that he didn't have spiritual powers and had moved on.

So what had just happened just now?

 _ **I'm sorry.**_

"What's with this loud commotion?"

Tyson looked up from where he was and stopped, gazing at the demon that had just appeared in his line of sight. He almost gasped as he feels several emotions overwhelm him at the sight of the demon.

 _ **Fear. Gratitude. Indifference. Annoyance. Wonder. Kindness. Giddiness. Joy. Warmth. Acceptance. Love. Despair. Denial. Betrayal. Anger. Rage. Rejection. Hatred. Sorrow.**_

His heart aches just by seeing this demon and he wants to know why. He needs to understand why this demon made him feel this way. He stares at the demon for a long time and, the longer he sees him, the more it makes him think that he had met this person before.

 _ **I wish I could turn back time and meet you earlier.**_

This person, this familiar person that made him feel this way. Who was he? Why did it ache his heart to see this person? Had they met before? Had Tyson forgotten about this person? Why couldn't he remember?

 _ **I wish I never met you.**_

A single tear ran down one of Tyson's eyes and he let it roll down his cheek without understanding why. It just hurt to see this demon and he didn't even know why that was. He didn't even know the demon's name.

 _ **I wanted to forget you, even though I know it's impossible.**_

Who was he?

 _ **Because it hurts to love you so much.**_

 _ **It's okay even if it's a little late**_

 _ **If it's destiny,**_

 _ **We will meet again**_

Kai's body seemed to have stopped functioning the moment he laid eyes on the human his demons were surrounding, the same human that had been chosen as the main course of their feast. The familiar yet new scent fills his senses and he's left without any words, staring at the human with wonder and hope.

The human had long navy blue hair that made it up to their shoulders and familiar expressive auburn eyes. The human's appearance and scent, they were both so familiar and Kai resisted the urge to take the human into his arms because he had waited five thousand years for this moment.

Standing in front of him was Ryoko's reincarnation.

The human was staring at him, looking so small and vulnerable in just a simple light blue yukata. There was blood coming out of one of their feet and Kai let the anger surge through him because how dare anyone hurt what was his. His darling Ryoko had come back to him and now she was injured. The anger vanished as a single tear ran down Ryoko's reincarnation's cheek and was replaced with concern.

Why did tears run down that beautiful face? Tears didn't suit Ryoko and Kai decided that they didn't suit her reincarnation either. He never did like seeing her cry so he was going to make it his mission to make sure that, in this life, the smile he had missed could be seen more frequently.

He approached the human, "Why are you crying, dear?" Those familiar auburn eyes turned to him and he wondered what the human was thinking of. The human frowned and stood before he got too close, despite the wound on their feet. It seemed that Ryoko's fiery spirit lived on.

"Well, you and your asshole demons kidnapped me from my house and tried to eat me," They answered and they even sounded like her. His wish had been heeded. His love had come back to him after all.

Kai scoffed, "Is that any way to talk to someone that could order your death right now? I am hungry, you know." His tone was calm and cold, even though he was teasing the agitated human. He used to do the same thing to Ryoko and she had hated him for a long time until she understood that it was just the way he teased. He wondered if the human would understand if it was a tease or if he was just being cruel.

"Well, fuck off. You're not eating me and I'm not afraid of you, asshole." That last part was a lie, judging by the small tremble in the small body. Ah, this girl was just too cute to tease.

"I think you should, dear," Kai replied, "Girls like you usually are afraid."

"Agh, the hell is wrong with all of you?" The girl asked, annoyance clear in her voice, "It's obvious I'm a guy." The boy looked at all of them and frowned, annoyed that almost all the demons were shocked by the gender revelation.

A boy? Kai blinked before walking up to the boy and placing a hand on the boy's chest. It was flat, nothing like the chests of women he had touched - prior to meeting Ryoko because she hated perverts and she had almost killed him when he had accidently touched her small breasts - so that meant that the human was a boy after all.

A loud smack was heard and Kai's whipped to the side in shock as the boy had slapped him hard, probably hard enough to leave a mark.

"What's your problem, pervert!" He yells, face slightly pink and Kai placed a hand on his cheek. It stung. This boy was strong and that made him grin. Ryoko hadn't changed much when she reincarnated after all. She was just a man in this life and that was something that Kai found didn't matter. He didn't fall in love with someone's gender, after all. He wasn't like the humans were.

He grabbed the boy's hand and pulled him forward, making him give out a yelp of surprise as he took the human into his arms. His scent that he was becoming familiar was stronger and Kai stored it in his mind as one of his favorite smells. He looked down at the boy, resisting the urge to hold him closer, "I've been waiting for you for a while. You kept me waiting, love."

The boy frowned and gave out an annoyed huff, "Let go of me, you creep. Don't touch me!" He pushed away and there was a burning pain in Kai's chest, causing him to let go. He hissed and looked to see that the boy was glowing with spiritual aura and the glow of . . .

No.

It seemed the Shikon Jewel had returned to this plane of existence after all. The cruel gem, the cause of Ryoko's grief and perhaps her death, that Kai had grown to hate was back and it was going to drag his love back to the arms of death.

That, of course, was going to happen over Kai's corpse because he was not going to lose this precious person again.

He was not going to commit the same mistake.

 _ **Forgetting you is such a hard thing**_

 _ **It's me turning around and crying,**_

 _ **My sad dream**_

 _ **Some day,**_

 _ **I hope I can love you all I want**_

 _ **TaleoftheReincarnatedSoul**_

 **TDWW: Thanks for reading. If you like this story, review, favorite or follow. I really appreciate feedback. Thanks especially to the ones that reviewed, favorited and followed this story already. You make me so happy. See you in the next update whenever it comes!**

 ****Notes****

 ***Not much to say in this chapter since it was just centered on making Tyson and Kai finally meet, along with showing Ryoko's memories were pouring into Tyson, mixing the two lives.**

 ***Tyson was inside a cooking pot. Hehe.**

 ***I ship Rikomo and Tokuyuka so hard. Toku just made it so easy for me, you know? And Riko is a cutie, despite kidnapping Tyson**

 ***Eien the demon that Tyson saw was cursed to look that way. His true form is the young man with golden hair and eyes. The reason why Tyson knows how he looks like is because Ryoko knew Eien before he was cursed and he saw her memories.**

 ***Eien is the first of the demons to recognize Tyson as Ryoko. He was calling out to "her" before Tyson ran away.**

 ***The demons thought Tyson was a girl since their noses are so good, they ended up smelling Ryoko's old scent.**

 ***The words that were bold and italicized were Ryoko's thoughts and emotions, not to be confused with Tyson's that were just italicized.**

 ***Was Kai OOC? Kinda? I think so. The reason why I wrote him like this, though, was because he spent years in love with someone who was far from his reach and that person is back at last. How could he stay emotionless at that? Who would stay emotionless? The Demon Kai is more like Wang So from** _ **Moon Lovers**_ **because this story wouldn't work very well with an emotionless, cool Kai.**

 ***I love Tyson.**

 ***Lines used for breaks: Forgetting You by Davichi from (you guessed it) _Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo_**


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